


Invisible Man

by iamjohnlcked



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adorable Bruce Banner, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Eventual Happy Ending, Everyone Is Gay, Exhausted Author, F/F, Hurt Wanda Maximoff, I don't know how to write smuts, IronStrange, Lesbian Michelle Jones, Loki is a good friend, Loki is in love, M/M, Michelle Jones Needs a Hug, Parent Stephen Strange, Peter Parker is a Damsel in Distress, Precious Peter Parker, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship, Stephen Strange is invisible, The Author Regrets Nothing, Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thorbruce is real, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony stark is a good father, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug, everybody needs a hug, ironstrange is meant to be, ironstrange is real, sorcerer wong, stephen strange adopts wanga, the Author Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-07 23:42:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21226190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamjohnlcked/pseuds/iamjohnlcked
Summary: Stephen Strange used to be the best in his field, until the accident, and then he isolated himself, unable to face people staring at him like he was some sort of beast.Wong gives him a choice. To be invisible, completely invisible, but Wong never told him the entire truth about that spell.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WE'RE BACK AT IT!  
I love this story so much I needed to bring it back so here we are. I'm deleting the old one and I'm doing my best to correct some mistakes I made, so... I hope everyone likes it :D

Stephen doesn't wanna leave his bed. He grabs his phone on the floor and checks his notifications. 3 messages from Loki. 2 missed calls from Wong, but he's just too tired to talk to someone. It's only six in the morning when he leaves his apartment and walks around Greenwich Village wearing only underwear. It's summer, it's hot and no one can see him, anyway. No one except Wong. At least that was the agreement.

(...) 

It was January. The cold air touched his face, and Stephen looked outside the car window, taking a deep breath. He didn't wanna go home, he just wanted to work just a little bit more, drink a cup or two of coffee and then work some more, but the director of the hospital sent him home. He was awake for 30 hours and the director said he was looking like crap, so he went home, promising that he was going to be back in eight hours.

He asked Christine to start the pre-op on his patient in five hours and left.

He made a turn to the left, as always, but he was too tired to notice the truck coming in his direction.

Stephen woke up a couple of days later, feeling his face burn, unable to move his hands, the desperation hitting his face when he saw Christine get up and look at him, her left hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

“It's okay, Steph, you're going to be okay” he looked at his hands, and he wanted to cry.

Days later, when he was finally good enough to get up, the doctor made his way to the bathroom, to see his face covered in crepe bandage. He tried to move his fingers through the surgical tape, trying to undo the dressing, but before he could remove it he felt Christine’s hands against his.

“Don't” he looked at her, startled. What was that supposed to mean? “I don't think you're ready, honey” the way she looked at him Stephen would never forget that. He just turned around, looking at her through the mirror, and with his hands shaking and fighting against the pain he felt, Stephen removed the surgical tape, and the bandage slowly fell off his face, revealing what he thought it was the ugliest creature he had ever seen. He took a few steps back, scared, and even though he wanted to cry, he couldn't find the tears. His face was unrecognizable from the accident, his eyes were still there, the only thing that remained, the ocean blue eyes staring at him in horror. Christine's hand touched his arm, trying to comfort him.

“Don't touch me” it was the first thing she heard him saying after the accident, and those three words came out with a lot of effort and pain. He couldn't even recognize his own voice. As if the skin of his face had melted against his skull, his once pretty face was ruined and he felt repulsion, he felt disgust, and he didn't want to keep looking, but he couldn't find the strength to look away.

“what…” he stopped. Did he really want to know? He finally looked at her, her eyes full of pity. “Don't” he begged, knowing that there was nothing else he could do to make her stop. She just looked at him, trying to smile. Christine Palmer knew Stephen, like no one else ever before, so she didn’t know what to do, watching the man look at himself with that expression.

“It changes nothing,” she said, finally. “you know that, don’t you? You’re still the same Stephen, honey” he looked at her, his blue eyes almost screaming ‘_ how the hell would you know?’ _he looked at her, one more time, and closed his eyes, the pain shaking his entire body. When Christine’s hands touched the bandage to cover his face again, Stephen just kept his eyes closed, allowing the woman to hide his hideous face.

“Do you wanna know what happened?” she remained in silence for a while, because the doctor stayed there, in silence. When he finally nodded, his face was hidden again behind the bandage and his blue eyes and his mouth were the only things visible. She looked at him.

“It was a tank truck. They think you slept at the wheel, that’s why you didn’t see it, and the driver wasn’t right, either, his light was red, but he kept going anyway, and you crashed, they think you’re lucky” Stephen looked at her, his hands barely moving, his face covered in bandage, red, melted against his own flesh. _Lucky. _How was he lucky? How could he? Stephen was a doctor. He knew he’d never have his face back, his hands back, how the fuck that was luck?

“You crashed, you know, there was a leak, and then an explosion, and… They brought you here. I was… I was the first” she gulped. “To see you. You came to the ER and I just… I’m so sorry, Steph. I did… I did everything I could” he was miles away, his eyes lost, facing the floor. Clearly,_ everything_ wasn’t enough.

(...) 

Stephen shook his head, sending the memory away, a warm breeze touching his almost naked body. After that January Stephen quit his job, sold his penthouse and met Wong. He also never saw Christine again. She tried to act normal, and she did, but her face was a constant reminder to the doctor that he’d never have his life back.

Wong was a sorcerer. The man knocked on his door, a few months after the accident and never left. At first, he tried to take Stephen with him, to a place called Kamar-Taj, but Stephen denied. He was living in isolation, now, because he couldn’t face people looking at him with pity in their eyes. He just couldn’t. He knew that expression, he had seen too much of it during the months after the accident, so he just… Stayed. He decided to leave his old life behind and expect nothing from people, so when a stranger appeared, trying to take him to a place, stating that he could get better, Stephen just said no, but Wong kept appearing and for two years the man was the only one Stephen allowed himself to maintain a friendship with. During a rainy day of may, four months after the accident, Wong looked at him, conjuring a book in front of them.

“I have a proposition for you” Stephen muted the tv, interested. “There’s a spell…” the man smiled, which was still hard. It was weird enough for him to have a friend conjuring books and soda cans right in front of his eyes, so when Wong said “spell”, everything seemed so… Funny.

“I’m sorry, please do continue” Wong opened the book waving his hands in the air, and he stopped the movement when he found the page he wanted.

“There’s an old spell, I’ve never done it, but my master told me about it once, and I think you’d find it interesting.”

And that’s how he got there. Wong explained to him about this spell, how Stephen was going to become invisible, like completely invisible, how he would be able to walk around New York and people wouldn’t see him, only if he allowed them to, and Stephen didn’t think twice before saying yes. That’s why he could walk around New York on a Saturday, at six am wearing only his underwear.

He was walking around 6th avenue when a door opened. Stephen froze, scared because the movement and the man were so loud that it just paralyzed him. This man came outside, carrying two duffle bags, and putting it in the trunk of a car.

“Come on, Petey, we’re gonna be late!” Stephen stayed there, unable to move, watching the man, his mouth open, his heart beating fast.

“CALM DOWN, DAD! I’m going!” Stephen heard this kid yell and a sixteen-year-old boy appeared, with a grey backpack around his shoulder, holding his phone with one hand and closing the door with another. Stephen held his breath when the kid walked next to him. Strange turned around, to go back home. The man putting his bags in the car raised his head, noticing someone else.

“Hey, perv! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Stephen’s eyes widened, his heart beating so fast he could feel it in his throat. That man could see him, but how?

* * *

Tony Stark is running, as he always is. Peter is behind him, putting his backpack around his shoulders. Tony touched his pockets, making a mental list of things he can’t forget. His wallet is there, the car keys are there, his phone is there, his driver’s license is probably there, I mean, there’s no way it left his wallet during the night. Pete’s documents are there, he’s sure there’s money in his wallet, and some more hidden under a pile of clothes inside his bag. He’s fine.

His bag! He does a mental list of things there too. He’s sure he packed underwear, socks, tees, jeans, a jacket (because you never know), and a couple of shirts. He _is _fine.

His charger! Did he get his charger? He stops, halfway downstairs, to make sure he got his charger. Yes, he did. A few seconds later he’s already outside.

“Come on, Petey, we’re gonna be late!” he screams, not giving a fuck if it’s still six in the morning. They’re already late.

“CALM DOWN, DAD! I’m going” he hears, and he’s sure Peter is in the hallway, then he hears the door of the building closing. Tony finished organizing the only two bags inside the trunk and closed it, noticing someone he hadn’t noticed before. The man is wearing black boxers, only black boxers, barefoot.Tony almost can’t believe it. Who the fuck was that guy, and what the fuck was that pervert doing wearing only underwear around Greenwich Village?

Peter is already in the car, typing a text to someone when he hears his dad saying “Hey, perv, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he takes his eyes out of his phone, to look for someone, but the street is empty.

“Dad, are you okay?” Tony hears Peter ask. The sixteen-year-old boy was looking around, trying to understand why his dad was yelling. “Who are you yelling at?” he frowned.

“The perv walking around wearing boxers” Peter kept looking, noticing that they were the only two people there.

“Are you sleeping well? I told you to start drinking decaf coffee” Tony is leaning on the car window now.

“There’s a man there, kid, can’t you see it?” Peter is genuinely scared. For a moment he thinks it’s a joke, but then he notices his dad’s tone.

“Just get in, okay? Stop joking around, we’re gonna be late” Tony rolls his eyes, looking one more time, but the man disappeared.

“Are you sure you didn’t see anyone?” Tony asks, starting the car. Peter looks at him, an annoyed expression on his face.

“Dad, do you want me to drive?” Tony frowns, still wondering if Peter didn’t see the man, or if he’s lying. Realizing that Tony is not going to leave without Peter giving him an answer, the boy sighs. “No, dad, I didn’t see anyone, and you’re scaring me, can we go now?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I hope you guys like this one because I like it!

Stephen is scared. He's sweating and his hands are shaking. He's out of breath, after running all the way back to his place, his back is against the door and he thinks he’s about to faint. How did that man see him? For two years now Stephen has been walking around New York, going to parks and museums without a single person noticing him, but now, when he decides to leave his place at six am on a Saturday, this random man putting his bags in the trunk of a car can see him? How?

He’s panicking, and for the first time after two years, he’s terrified of leaving the apartment again.

  
  


One hour later, after a cold shower and ignoring Wong’s calls, he opened Loki’s texts, in an attempt to forget everything that happened.

His friendship, if you can call it that, with Loki started out of the blue, one year before when the cafe owner accidentally texted him, instead of one of his suppliers. They started texting, eventually calling each other and sending each other pictures or articles they thought it’d be interesting. Besides his friendship with Wong, having someone that cared about him like Loki did was heartwarming. Of course, Loki didn’t know about him. About the accident. He thought Stephen was a self-employed writer, or something because Stephen was always too embarrassed to share with anyone else how much of a failure he was. He looked at the screen.

** _“Hey, I’m leaving to Rhode Island, so I talk to you later.”_ **

**“Please, don’t die of boredom without me”**

**“Btw, your last chance, there’s still time if you wanna go, I’d like to have you there ;)”**

Stephen smiled, then the smile turned into a sad expression. Loki was a nice guy, and Stephen liked him, and that’s why he couldn’t face the idea of Loki looking at him like Stephen was some sort of freak. That’s why all the photos he sent Loki were old, that’s why they never talked through video, and that’s why he couldn’t go to Rhode Island, even though he never wanted anything more in his life. Have people around again, have dinner with a bunch of people, laugh, go for a walk with someone, drink a glass or two of wine… It sounded too good to be true, so he just stayed there, looking at his phone.

**“I’m sorry, I can’t. But you can keep me posted, I’d love to see that. Please, tell your brother-in-law and your brother I said happy anniversary”**

  
  


He waited for the text, staring at the screen the whole time, anxious. It didn’t take long for Loki to reply.

  
  


**“My brother said ‘thank you, kind sir’ and Bruce said: ‘Thank you, buddy, can’t wait to finally meet you’ and I said: >I< can’t wait to meet you. How are you?”**

Stephen took a deep breath, staring at the wall. How was he? He could tell Loki the truth, he could tell Loki everything, right? He was never going to see the man in person, anyway, but something inside him just… Couldn’t. He couldn’t give himself the luxury of losing one of the only two friends he had had in the past two years, even though he wasn't going to see Loki, texting him was good, listening to that deep voice was good, and the thought of losing that only made Stephen feel worse.

**“I'm good. Kinda bored, so please forgive me if I die of boredom when you stop replying ;)”**

Loki smiled, reading the text and replied right away.

**“Let's make sure that doesn't happen, then”**

Stephen was the one smiling, this time. He took a deep breath.

**“I'm kidding, forget about me for a while and enjoy your family and friends for the both of us”**

Thor and Bruce glanced at each other when they heard Loki chuckle, the first one just for a second because he was driving. It was a concerned look. The couple knew something about that whole “I met a guy and we are texting” thing was going to go downhill too quickly. They knew that that Stephen guy, whoever he was, was going to break Loki's heart and they didn't know what to do about it. The fact that Stephen lived only one neighborhood away from Loki and in one year they never actually met was concerning, and kept both talking about it countless times at night.

**“hm, you said us”** Stephen held his breath, reading the text. He never wanted to give Loki hope, because nothing was going to happen between them, even though he really missed the physical contact and all the feelings that come with a relationship.

**“Well, you and me, I mean, us as individuals, you know?”** Loki raised his eyebrows and only texted:

**“Yes, I think I do. Us as two different people”**

The conversation stopped. Stephen didn't know what to say, because he thought about breaking Loki's heart, and that'd mean breaking his own.

Around lunch, Stephen had already finished the last book Wong gave him, when the sorcerer opened the door, bringing them lunch.

“Hey, man” Stephen was up, looking at him, wearing sweatpants and a shirt, barefoot.

“We need to talk” Wong nodded, thinking his tone weird.

* * *

  
  
  


Thirty minutes after leaving New York Tony stopped at a gas station, to make sure he and Peter would have enough candy and water for the next 4 hours. He called Bruce.

“Hey, you dicks, happy anniversary” Bruce rolled his eyes on the other side of the line and Tony heard Thor laughing.

“You already texted us, Tony, you don’t have to call me as well, plus we’re going to see each other in four hours” Peter is not paying attention. He stopped next to the counter, waiting for Tony to grab every pack of cookies, chips, and all the bottles of water he could, and then put everything on the counter.

“I know, but I needed to tell you this thing that happened. New York is weird, man” Bruce and Thor waited, Tony stopped talking for a second, looking at Peter. “Do you want something? Last chance” the boy rolled his eyes because he knew they weren't going to eat all of that.

“So, I was putting our bags in the car, and this man came out of nowhere wearing only underwear, I swear to god, I almost punched a perv today, and it was only six in the morning” Bruce and Thor exchanged a glance. Peter took the phone from Tony’s hand.

“There was no naked man, uncle Bruce,” Peter said, removing one of his earphones. “Happy anniversary, by the way”

“Thank you, kid. So, your dad is seeing naked men, now?” Peter smiled.

“Yeah, apparently. He started yelling, but I swear, there was no one there, I think he’s, you know...” Tony opened his mouth.

“Okay, enough. You, back to the car, now, and take this with you” Tony handed him a plastic bag full of things and opened his wallet, to pay the man on the other side of the counter. “Have a good day” the man nodded and Tony left the convenience store. “Is Loki there?”

“Yes, I am, my dear friend” Tony smiled.

“So, are you bringing that apparently hot friend of yours?”

“No, I am not, he didn’t wanna come”

“Oh, love, I didn’t wanna say anything, but I think you’re being catfished, you know? It’s been a year and he never agreed on meeting you, and he fucking lives in New York, or at least that’s what he says” Loki rolled his eyes.

“He is real, Tones, we talked, you know, we call each other all the time” Tony closed one of his eyes.

“Yeah, alright, if you say so. I’m gonna go, now, see you guys in four hours” the man put his phone away, grabbing a bag of blue Doritos.

“Do you want some?” Peter shook his head, denying it. “Your loss” the boy is staring at his phone.

“Dad, I think you’re thirsty” Tony looked at him, frowning.

“What do you mean? I had a bottle of water before leaving the apartment” Peter rolled his eyes, looking at him and finally grabbing some chips out of the bag.

“Not that kind of thirsty. MJ thinks that too. You know, seeing a naked man that doesn’t exist” Tony opened his mouth. The fact that his son was talking about his sex life…

“Okay, you listen to me, I’m not talking about that with a bunch of kids, okay? It’s none of your business, I know what I saw” Peter smiles, looking at his phone again.

“Oh, Neds thinks you're thirsty too” he’s looking at Tony, now, smiling.

“What are they doing awake before seven in the morning? I can't even take you out of bed before eleven! And if you keep talking about my private life with your friends I swear you’re gonna be grounded for the rest of the summer.” the boy is smiling, thinking the situation is way too funny. Tony smirked, knowing how he was going to get his revenge.

“Can you give me your earphones?” Peter frowned, trying to understand. “now!”

The boy did what he asked, still curious about what Tony was doing. The man hid the earphones under his left leg, turning the radio on.

“Welcome to four hours of Black Sabbath” Peter looked at him, desperate.

“Oh, dad, come on, don’t do this” Tony smirked. “‘I’ll stop, I already stopped, but please don’t” Tony was almost laughing.

“What do you mean? It’s only four hours, I bet you’re gonna love it” Peter looked at him, shaking his head, his eyes widened in terror with the idea of four hours of Heavy Metal. “Oh, it’s so much better than that Elephant in a cage you listen to”

“It’s Cage the Elephant, and it’s not, dad”

“Okay, I’ll tell you this, we’re gonna listen to twenty minutes of my songs, and then you’ll have twenty minutes to listen to anything you want, then it’s my turn again and we’re gonna do this for the next four hours, deal?” Peter took a deep breath, nodding. Now he needed to decide which playlist he was going to play.

  
  


The sixteen-year-old kid left the car, kneeling when his dad parked.

“Thank god, it’s over!” Bruce, Thor, and Loki were already waiting for them when they arrived. The couple laughed when they saw the kid making a scene.

“Oh, you put the poor kid to listen to your songs again?” Loki asked, getting close enough to kiss Tony’s cheeks.

“Well, you know, someone has to” Loki laughed, his arms around Tony, and Peter watched.

**“What do you guys think about my dad and uncle Loki, you know…”** he texted the group chat.

**“Seriously, dude, just let your dad find someone on his own”** MJ replied.

**“I agree, Peter, like it would sound kinda weird, you know, setting your dad up to Loki like that”** He rolled his eyes. Okay, it would be.

* * *

**“Loki ♥♥ sent you a link”** Stephen opened the message, opening the link. It was like his heart had stopped. He held his breath, looking at the picture, the anxiety from that morning hitting him again. The link was from Loki’s profile to a picture of him with a teenager and Stephen recognized the kid. The same kid from that morning. The other picture was a man, shorter than Loki, kissing his cheek.  _ That man _ . Loki knew the man from that morning, the man who was able to see Stephen, even when he was under Wong’s spell, even when Stephen totally didn't want the stranger to see him. He fucking knew that man.

* * *

Peter and Loki were alone. The older one was texting Stephen, smiling.

“So, who’s the guy?” Loki looked at him.

“I'm sorry?” Peter smiled at him, trying to show Loki that there was no point in lying. “His name is Stephen Strange, we’re talking for over a year, and I invited him to come with us, but he couldn’t, so I’m just… You know”

“Can I see him?” Loki nodded. He opened the man’s icon, to a picture of Stephen smirking, staring at the camera, wearing a blue shirt and Peter almost got lost in his eyes. “Wow, he’s handsome” Loki smiled. “You never told me about him” Loki sighed.

“No, I didn’t because I don’t think it’s gonna work” Peter looked at him, frowning.

“What do you mean? Just ask him on a date, do something, you’re gonna let this man go?” Loki was actually listening.

“It’s not that easy” Peter opened his mouth, shocked. It was so easy!

“Hi, would you like to go on a date with me? Oh, okay, Friday at eight? Okay, bye. Oh my God, you’re right, it sounds so difficult” Loki rolled his eyes. “Just fucking do it”

“Language, kid” Peter shook his head. Language, yeah right.

“Okay, go back to your boyfriend” Loki took his phone again, and Peter grabbed his own, opening the group chat.

**“Loki is in love!!”**

**“WITH YOUR DAD??????”** MJ text was so… Extra that Peter actually smiled.

**“Not my dad. A guy named Stephen Strange and damn the guy is hot”**

**“HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCKING FUCK”**

**“WHAT????”**

**“FUCKJNG STEPHRN STRANGE OH MT GOD, OJ MU GPD”** Peter frowned. What?

**“You know him?** ” That was Ned. Peter waited for the answer.

**“FUCK I DO KNOW STEPHEN STRANGE, HOLY FUCK THE MAN IS A LIVING LEGEND, WAIT… There, the man is a legend, literally. You guys remember my cousin Ella, right?”**

**“The hot one? Of course”** Peter could almost feel MJ rolling her eyes reading Ned’s text.

**“She’s in med school, and she talks about him like all the time. Apparently, he had like hundreds of successful surgeries, and then, two years ago the guy just fucking disappeared, like, literally, no one knows about the guy, and it seems like there was this accident. People say there was an explosion and that he’s so awesome that left the explosion walking. I mean, how amazing is that?”** Peter frowned. He looked at Loki.

“Hey, uncle Loki, can I ask you something? About your friend?” Loki nodded. “What does he do?”

“Are you talking to your friends about Stephen?”

“Kind of” Loki smiled, shaking his head.

“He's a writer” Peter nodded, returning his attention to his phone.

**“Uncle Loki said he's a writer”** he texted, waiting for MJ’s reply.

**“Stephen Strange sold his penthouse in Chelsea and left behind his hundreds of successful surgeries to become a writer? Sounds fake”** Peter smiled.

**“Okay, so your super doc walks away from an explosion, but you can't believe he stopped being a doctor to become a writer? Guess what sounds fake?”** Ned replied.

**“It doesn't add up, I mean, the man is a legend, he can operate your brain with a coconut”** If Ned was there he and Peter would have glanced at each other, rolling their eyes to the ridiculous idea of a man operating their brain with a coconut.

**“Okay, M, I don't think we're talking about the same man, I mean, it really doesn't make sense the guy leaving all that to be a writer”**

**“Gimme a sec”** She answered. A few seconds later a picture of Stephen was sent in the group chat.

**“Is that him?”** Peter raised his eyebrows.

**“Yep, the handsome man himself”**

**“God, you're so weird, sometimes,”** she said.  **“I can’t believe Stephen Strange is actually alive, OH MY GOD”** Peter smiled.

**“What did you mean by 'disappeared'?”** he asked.

**“Well, I hang out with Ella and her friends from med school, and they all have theories about what happened with the guy. Apparently, he was a proper genius, and he literally disappeared. He sold his penthouse, quit his job and no one heard about him. A few of them think he was dying, this girl said once that she thinks he was kidnapped by the North Korean government, because he discovered a way to control the human brain and they were using him. A few think he just retired, moved to another country, lost both hands… Anyway, there are lots of stories, but now he’s fucking alive, and fucking texting Loki? Shit, Ella is gonna freak out”**

**“My dad is a genius. You don’t talk about him like that”** Peter said. Ned texted, too.

**“Okay, but we didn’t acknowledge the fact that she fucking knows where he used to live? Weirdo”** Ned says.

**“Oh, come on. He was all famous and stuff, and Peter, your dad is awesome, but I heard Ella talk about this guy for four years, and they still do. I’m just...”**

**“So, why do you guys think he disappeared?”** Peter asked.

**“Maybe he snapped.”** Ned said.

**“Maybe he was kidnapped, escaped and now he’s just trying to stay hidden.” ** MJ says.

**“Do you guys wanna find out?”** Peter asked.

**“Okay, stop, I know where the guy used to live bc they used to gossip about it, but we’re not stalking him, you’re creepy, get out” ** Peter rolls his eyes and put his phone away when he sees Thor, Bruce and Tony arriving. They were going out for dinner.

“Finally!” Loki says, exhaling.


	3. Chapter 3

Stephen is awake. He can't sleep, because he can't stop thinking about the man, and how much of him he actually saw. He can't stop thinking about how that man knew Loki, how close they seemed to be, and why he thought it was a good idea to leave his place wearing only underwear, even though no one could see him.

Wong told him he didn't know why the stranger was able to see him, but deep down Stephen knew his friend was lying. Wong was too smart and too good and the idea of him putting a spell on Stephen without understanding it completely sounded unreal.

He walked around the apartment, but there was nothing interesting to do. He had already read all the books he had, and the house was too clean to be true. Two years. Two years doing this. Cleaning, reading, walking around New York. Two years unemployed, trying to occupy his mind enough so it wouldn't be bad for his mental health.

“How is that going for you?” he asked himself, knowing the answer.

He thinks for a while, looking through the window, his heart beating fast. The thing is: the only person that can actually see him is Loki's friend. His name is Tony, by the way, because yes, he stalked Loki to know that. So, Tony is the only person capable of seeing him, and Tony is in Rhode Island with his son, Loki and Loki's family. Stephen is okay.

He goes back to his bedroom, putting some clothes on and leaves the apartment. It's four in the morning.

The man wants to cry. He's done that a lot lately, because he knows he can't live his life like that, the rest of his life in his apartment, waiting for Wong to do the groceries, waiting for death to finally appear and release him from all that pain. He can't do that.

He turned left, on Bleecker Street, passing in front of the sanctum. He's been there before with Wong, when the man tried to convince Stephen to go to Kamar-Taj. 

The voices were coming from the alley a couple of blocks away from the Sanctum. At first he thought it was just a bunch of kids joking around, maybe smoking something, but he stopped when he heard the girl’s voice asking them to leave her alone. He didn’t think twice.

“Okay, spell, time to go” he whispered, allowing people to see him. He got closer, to five teenagers putting this girl against the wall.

“The party is over, it’s time to go to bed” They looked at him, a few opening their mouths, scared. “Yes, now get the fuck out of here”

All the five of them left, running. The girl smiled at him.

“Thank you” he pressed his lips together, reaching down and grabbing her backpack from the floor.

“Are you hungry?” Stephen asked, looking at her. She was probably fifteen, or something, her hair was dirty and her clothes were wrinkled.

“What?”

“Well, you know, that thing you are before you eat? Hungry? I know a diner, do you wanna eat something? Don’t worry, I’m not… You’re not scared” he’s genuinely fascinated. The girl doesn’t seem to care at all about his face.

“Why would I be?” and she means it. Stephen smiles.

“People usually are.” He says and the girl almost hugs him.

“Can I drink a milkshake, too?” He looks at her and nods. “And you’re paying?”

“Wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t”

“Okay. I’m Wanda” she smiles.

“I’m Stephen. Strange.” she walks with him, and five minutes later they’re opening the diner’s door. “You’re gonna need this” he gives her his earphone, and she looks confused.

“They can’t see me” the girl laughs. There’s a couple of clients there, and she just put the earphones. They find a table, and a waitress gets closer, looking at her.

“So?” Wanda looks at Stephen, and the man is smiling, but the waitress seems to ignore him.

“Oh, okay, I want a burger and a milkshake?”

“Chocolate or strawberry?”

“Chocolate” the waitress nods and leaves her alone. “You mean that. She can’t see you” Stephen is smirking. “But I can”

“Yes”

“Not possible. Is it a joke?” Stephen shrugs.

“No jokes. The… Accident happened, you know, I haven't always been this pretty, and now people can only see me if I want them to” She can’t believe him. “So, what are you doing walking around Greenwich alone and so late at night?” she looks at him, then she turned her head down.

“It’s complicated” He raises his eyebrows.

“Believe me, I understand complicated” She looks at him, trying to decide if she should tell him or not.

“I came out to my parents a couple of days ago, actually my brother told my parents about me a couple of days ago,” He looks at her, his eyebrows raised again. “Yeah, it didn’t go well, they kicked me out, and here I am”

“You don’t have anywhere to go?” she just denied, shaking her head. “Do you want a place to go?” she looks at him.

“Why would you do that?” it’s weird. She doesn’t know that man, he doesn’t know her, but he’s offering his place?

“I came out to my parents four years ago, and if it was hard for me to watch them turn their backs on me when I was already successful and thriving I can only imagine how hard it is for you. And having someone around sounds nice” She can see it. It’s all in his eyes. There’s something about all that sadness that just breaks her, but she understands, too. It's not pity, it's just comprehension.

“Deal” The idea of having someone around was interesting for Stephen. He knew she was just a kid, but he could teach her things, he could tell her stories, he could find some meaning, talk to someone, hear about her day, show her his favorite books… And if she was gonna treat him like a normal person, then that was worth it.

* * *

“You can sleep here, tonight and tomorrow I can ask Wong to sort something out if you actually want to stay” she nods. They're in his bedroom. “Okay” he opens his closet, grabbing a pillow and changing the pillowcase. He takes a few things to the living room with him, so he can sleep there.

**“When you wake up, can you call me?” ** He texts Loki. It's five in the morning.

His phone buzzes, and he looks at it.

**“Loki ❤❤ sent you a message”** the man frowns, unlocking the screen.

**“Is everything okay? Shouldn't you be sleeping?” ** Stephen smiles.

**“Shouldn't you?” ** he texts back.

**“Tony and I are trying to stay awake to watch the sunrise, what are you doing?” ** Tony. Tony. Tony.  _ That _ Tony.

**“There's a 16yo girl in my apartment. Her parents kicked her out after she came out and I don't know, I might have invited her to stay” ** Loki is staring at his phone. Then he gives the phone to Tony read the text too.

“So, the man is adopting someone else's child?” Tony asks.

Stephen is staring at the screen. Loki is typing, now.

**“you're adopting a girl?” ** Stephen frowns.

**“I don't know, I just can't leave her if she doesn't have a place to go, I think. And I know how it feels like to think you don't have anyone, I don’t know I just… I can’t leave her knowing what she’s going through”**

**“you’re raising her?”** Stephen stares at the screen.

**“Maybe. Is that weird?”**

**“If you think it's a good idea, and if you think you can raise a teenager, then just, idk, do it?” ** Stephen takes a deep breath.

**“Yeah, but how does it work? Like, her parents are not dead, I can't just keep a teenager like that”** Stephen realizes now that he didn't ponder the situation.

**“Well, I can talk about it with Thor, tomorrow, maybe he can help you with something” ** Stephen smiles.

**“Thank you, L. Enjoy the sunrise ;)” **

* * *

Tony looks at him. He doesn’t know if he can make a joke about it, or if it’s best to just let it be.

“Hey?” Loki looks at him. They’re waiting, sitting in the sand and it is good, he just doesn’t wanna ruin it.

“Yes,” Loki can’t take his eyes off the ocean. It’s so peaceful, he just wanna stay there forever.

“You and this guy…” Tony doesn’t know how to ask him what he wants to know.

“There's nothing happening, Tones. And it won't happen. Stephen is a good friend, he's a good person, but we're not… I don't know, I don't feel like we're a possibility.” Tony is looking at him.

“But you like him” Loki shrugs.

“I think, but you know, I'm not sure about a relationship.”

“And he's raising a child, now. That changes things” Loki looks at him.

“You're raising a child”

“Yeah, but it's different.” The other man is looking at him, waiting for an explanation. “I love Peter, he's my everything, but it's not easy, you know? I don't regret anything, and I promised May I would do everything I could to give him everything he needed” Loki nods. He understands. It's not like Tony doesn't love Peter, he was just caught by surprise. One day he was this thirty-three-year-old man enjoying New York like a teenager and the next morning he was a dad, and everything changed too fast.

May and Tony were best friends since childhood. The woman adopted Peter after his parents died and just a couple of years later she was killed after a failed robbery attempt. Peter was only six when it happened. Tony did everything he could to adopt him, he quit his job and opened his own company, so he could be there for Peter. It was the hardest thing he did, start a business and raise a six-year-old kid, but he somehow made it through.

“Sometimes I just feel like if she was here she would have done a better job, you know?” Tony says. And Loki just nods.

“You're not doing a bad job, Tones. You're a great dad, even when you make your son listen to your songs, believe me, he would've told me if you weren't” Tony looks at him and smiles. “And Steph is going to be a great dad too, I'm sure of it, he is a good person, and he deserves a family, you know?” Tony nodded.

* * *

When Stephen wakes up, Wanda is already awake and she made them breakfast.

"You don't have to do all that, you know?" She shrugs. "Thank you"

"I wanna do something, if you want me to stay, find a way to pay you" Stephen nods.

"I talked to a friend, and his brother is a lawyer and he's gonna help me with things, and I'm gonna ask Wong to take you to buy everything you need, and you can pay me going to school, deal?" She smiles.

"Deal"

“Where do you go to?”

“SHS, on Chambers Street” Stephen raised his eyebrows.

“Wow, okay, so she’s genius, nice, the other bedroom is yours, if at some point your parents contact you wanting you back, if you want to go back, you can, I’m gonna contact them, if everything works out the way I think it does, and I'll ask them for you to stay” Wanda nodded.

Wong didn’t come for lunch, he appeared around six with five books to Stephen. The doctor was reading his copy of Slaughterhouse-five again, and Wanda was on the other side of the sofa reading his copy of The Boy’s Life, which made Stephen smile when he saw the girl choosing that book.

Wong opens the door with his keys and is too impressed to do something. His hands are still on the door handle.

“Erm, Stephen? There’s a kid next to you?” the doctor looks at Wong, then looks at Wanda.

“Yes, Wong this is Wanda, Wanda this is Wong” The girl smiled at him.

“She can see you?” Wong asks, confused.

“Obviously, are you gonna stay there, or you’re gonna come in?” Wong closes the door behind him, putting the books on the shelf.

“You’re the sorcerer” Wong looks at her.

“And apparently he talks too much. Yes, I am, but I don’t know who you are”

“I’m Wanda. Maximoff. Is your name just Wong? How does that work? Hi, I’m Wong, just Wong?” The sorcerer is looking at Stephen, and the man is hiding his smile behind the book. That was exactly what Stephen asked the first time they met.

“What do you want me to say? I think we found each other” the doctor said, when Wong stared at him, perplexed.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be back soon enough!!!!


End file.
